Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-11-08
sIoNoRA BELL0NI.
rur MYSTERIOUS sIsoER VINO AsroSIsri'
I'D sLAckvIILE.


gently. until let the bars down.
The autumn sunset Was glowing In
the vest; the noise Of the little brook
sounded through woods which were fast
losiag their last leaves, and the little
procession OF cows came meditatively
down the rocky pas,ure-slopes. stopping
here aud there TO decspi,a,e an especially
too,hsome ~ild.nower. or TO munich
moathfai Of grass that VAS f~shef than
the ordinary. And behind them walked
. tall. slender girl. wearing . dark siuh
dre,. and q ,unbonnet Of brown calico.
1--WE brogsh, hOm. the cows. Mrs.
Dodd.- said she. msriIy. as q wrinkled
face pesped out Of the window. "Shall
| mix nov 4, Just hand me the pail.
please. know where to had the three
legged stool"
"Ba,. child" said the psrplsssd Mrs.
Dodd, "you ean'i milk !"
"Ars you sure Of that" said the tall
girl, whose face. now that the sunbonnes
had fallen oa. revealed rich. olive CON.
pl,sion. large. laughing eyes and hair
darker than the pro,srbAl ravens
wing" "Ba,. you see. never told You
how used to milk my little laneh pail
full out in the pastures when ! vent
nu,tips Ia October
- said Mrs. Dcdd.
III have more accomplishments than
you are aware o." added the girl.
"well. anyway. I'm glad you're safe
home. Miss Mary" said Mrs. Dodd.
at. ,Ori Of = ~ild place up on the hill.
pasture. aud spO,,ie i' ugly With her
horns sometimes"
"spo,,is and are the best OF friends
In the world" said Mary Bell, lightly
.,roking the smooth aides Of the horned
animal Ia question. s 'he walked along
toward the b.rn.y yard. with the milk
pals In her hand. snake yourself easy.
Mrs. Dodd. will fodder the cattle and
%. ,ha, the barn !. safely locked up for
the night"
"rm dreadful oblsessd ,'ye. Miss
Mary" said Mrs. Dodd. 81 dunno wh.,
Ia b.. dose Il ',wan', for you. IN this
ere ,ish, spot" VI.
$50 that. your bosrisr. Is IL ?" said
Mrs. Ma,,i.on. Who had dropped 10 TO
borrow = yeas, cake fof the mouo~s
baking. "Ooins TO stay long "
"Abou, . month";" said Mrs. Odd.
"shs'. powerful fond Of the country.
You'd ougt, TO see her ride old Doee'n
10 water And she lives ou,-of.door.
like . gyp.y. from mOfnin' I'LL night
"Nioe.lcokib' enough" said Mrs. Mat.
,lson.
$3.50 s.id the widow-"fof them
|. likes duk-complsetsd folks. My
Phrbs VI. fair a. lily. nth blue eyes
aud q .sin th., fr,ekled u she 80 much
|. put her nos. on, into the sunshine.
but Nils Bell has been very good TO me
since Mosss ran OF after the ravelin
eireu, and my knee 10, bad ~i,h rhea'
ma,iI She take. hold as handy - pos
.ibls sboa, the house. ! offered to psy
her wages. bu, she laughed night out At
the idee. Il will take your cir dollars .
mon,h, Mrs. DOdd.' said she. when | m
able TO pay You for oil the Kind care
you've took Of me since l came TO Sersu,.
Die Farm No, but VIA, shes paid
her board a. papetusl n clock, added
Mrs. Odd. "Bat there vas 'Pell
along when she Was little drcopin aud
h.dnt much appetite. and billed up
some herb.,sa. and sor, Of eosssiied her
with nice little homemade messes. unit!
she ehirksd up; and she an, forgot It,
you see"
"ShOp.sirl, l .'pO'e p said Mrs. Mat.
uson. "Ths,e ere ei,y.folks Get. lot
Of stylish way with EN-. She walks lise
. queen. though she hs.n'i 70, no,hin
ba, shilling dslsine and ealiser''un'
boanst."
mo. ,ke Amt 'als.lsdy." said Mrs.
DOdd, whose "PtGbc" VAS In that bust
hess. and who never allowed the term
",hop.girl" TO pa. uneouee'ed IN her
presence. "she IL . .ingi'i."
"Masiesl. Ell" said Mrs. MA,ii'on,
prieking up her ears. "in = church
choir ?"
"I CUES. likely" said Mrs. Dodd. ii'-
ing the lid OF the s,sw.Pan TO see " the
dried peaches were In . proper condition
for dishing up. "Bu, ldunnoi Mary
Bell Amt one tia, talks much. l sort
o'rekop, though. that she sings At con-
cert. and plays tbs Pianny q. parties Tor
80 much . night. Ny PhUbe says
there's folks as makes II res'lar bu'i'
ness in the city"
"YOu don, say = cried Mrs. M.,'i'
sou.
"Yo, . regular business. Ny PhcSe,
she used to be great hand on the accord
ion. but"
eyes, l know" said Mrs. Ma,,isor.
who had many . time listened TO the re-
ei,sl of"My PhGbe's" varied accomplish
ments and knew them ell BY heart
"But IL she ,ing., Mrs. Dodd. guess
the church folks would be glad to LET
her to sing At our eoneer, on Monday
week"
81. 1, fur the mee,in'.'us carpet
asked Mrs. Dodd, adding little sugar
to the dried peaches.
"No, exactly" said Mrs. Ms',i.on'
"Iis our Hora,io - has got !, up. lt'
TO rsi,e money for the choir to 90 to Ne~
York In December aud hear the Signora
B.lloni sing 10 opera. Ho's,io. he''
dreadful musical. and be says any one a.
hssa't heard signon Belloni sing Amt ~
TO the times. SO the choir they oil mean
TO 70. IL its a possible thing TO rake and
serspe money enough together. The
opera tickets are five dollars apiece
"You don't tell me so!' exclaimed
Mrs. Dodd. spilling hall uA'poonfal OF
Oolong tea in her surprise. ~ declare,
that's up aud down 'inful!
"Five dollars apiece" impressivsly re-
pss,ed Mrs. Msttison. "She 10 ell the
fashion now, aud folks would pay twice
that, Horatio says, II she chose to ask IL.
Then the ear.fArs will be another five fo'
the party; and they're to stay With Dsa'
con Eliphsz Midse,ts wilder, - keeps Z
boardin .house on Third Avenue. and
she'll charge 'sm . dollar and . quarter